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Oct. 02, 2015
Summer is officially over now that all the kids are back in school; Friday night high school football games are taking place all across Ohio; and, fall harvest is just around the corner. Summer has truly come and gone for 2015. This also means more teens are on our roadways during the school week. More teens are settling in to the new school year with homework, extracurricular activities, and going to work. This week I would like to focus my article on teen drivers. How many of you know what the 4-H CARTEENS program is all about? The 4-H CARTEENS primary purpose is to decrease the...
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Sep. 29, 2015
You have no doubt seen or heard about the declining monarch butterfly population. Home gardeners are encouraged to plant milkweed to provide the host plant for the monarch caterpillars. There are 13 varieties of milkweed native to Ohio, but three of these are the most commonly available in seed packets. These three species are very different in their appearance and their growth characteristics. Knowing the difference will allow you to select the species that will fit best into your home garden beds.
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Sep. 18, 2015
Have you begun the process of planning your 2016 vegetable garden? I can hear the chuckling, if not outright laughter, at the thought of doing so now while 2015 gardens are still in full swing. Although December and January are when seed catalogs arrive and you have hours to plan your upcoming garden, it is NOT a time when you can walk out to the garden and critically inspect it, weighing its merits and its problems. Thus a critical review of this year’s garden now is the key to improving your next year's garden's overall performance.
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Sep. 02, 2015
Proceeds will benefit camp programs and youth agriculture education. Hosted by the Butler County 4-H and Extension Advisory Committees. For more information, please click on the links below:
Harvest FUN 5K Run/Walk and Pancake Breakfast Flyer
Craft Show Information
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Jul. 13, 2015
During the week of the 4th of July, eight Butler County 4-H members had the opportunity to attend Citizenship Washington Focus at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center, just one mile from Washington, DC. The 4-H members included Sam Krabacher (Nibbles & Needles 4-H Club), Eric Eden (Wayne Sizzlin’ Scissors & Livestock 4-H Club), Hannah Gentry (Union Busy Fingers 4-H Club), Robert Richter (Middletown Sportsman’s 4-H Club), David Winter (Wayne Wild Things 4-H Club), Adam Cheney (Union Busy Fingers 4-H Club), Hannah Messer (Union Busy Fingers 4-H Club), and Alan Hingsber
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Jul. 07, 2015
What could welcome the Fourth of July more than pots of red geraniums and a flag or two on your porch?
First, to avoid confusing you, let me note that there is a perennial geranium that returns each spring and blooms profusely in early summer. Known commonly as cranesbill, it does best when planted directly into the garden. It’s a great plant, but my favorite geranium is an annual.
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Jun. 25, 2015
The 165th Butler County Fair is scheduled for July 26 – August 1, 2015. A lot of parents and advisors are busy encouraging our 4-H youth as they put their final touches on their 2015 4-H projects over the next couple of weeks. Our dedicated parents and advisors are working hard at their jobs in order to take vacation during the fair. Families have invested a lot in our youth over the years in guiding them with their 4-H projects. Times have changed a lot, but our families have stayed determined to instill values that their kids will be forever grateful.
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May. 26, 2015
The growing impact of local foods is something we hear about every week. The local food revolution, locavore, farm to table, and know your farmer know your food, are just some of the phrases used to describe a conscious desire on the part of people to get fresh locally grown foods. To help support the local foods movement, Ohio State University Extension has gathered data to create The Butler County Local Foods Guide. This is a list of local growers and producers of meat, produce, fruits, berries, and cheeses. Currently, there are about 60 local growers and producers listed. ...
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May. 19, 2015
With the end of the school year just around the corner that means family members should begin to think about a family emergency plan for a severe weather strike. Parents, here are some questions to get you to think about that family emergency plan. If there is severe weather while you are away from home for work would your kids know what to do? Would you know where to find your kids after a severe weather emergency? Why would you want to risk your kid’s uncertainty if there is a severe weather emergency?
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May. 19, 2015
Have you ever wished that you could totally protect your plants from being eaten by anything but you and do so without using sprays, pesticides and repellants! I have had that wish and a desire to make that wish come true.
